Wonderful! So much to cover! I'll miss things I know, but just to start:
This view of Richard and Mary's relationship was lovely, perfectly timed for this point in the story, and I think one of your best-written scenes.
Peter and Jill have a fascinating dynamic, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of these two.
Eustace's difficulties ring true with his character. His experience of Aslan during VotDT was dominated by his own redemption. London upon his return was practically yet another new world, his viewpoint had changed so much. But The Silver Chair is to me the darkest of the series short of The Last Battle. Caspian's life had so many unhappy turns, the physical settings were so grim, Rillian's fate hinted at horrible abuse. It almost feels like a challenge from Aslan. "This, too, is part of what it means to be un-dragoned. Are you willing to accept the hard times along with the benefits?" Not a test of faith, but a question. And Eustace questions right back, without losing faith. His belief is strong, but he needs to work through things in an analytical way that neither Peter nor Jill is really suited to. He needs to talk to Edmund and possibly Susan. It's a Concert of Minds approach- Jill leans more towards Peter and Lucy's Heart and Soul.
Mary's feelings of being left out and of wanting to have some of these things happen because of her (and Richard's wonderful, supporting response) were great developments of her character. She seems to be trying to work through things rather than purely blasting her way past whatever doesn't fit.
And the homosexual animals! That will require a reply when I can focus my thoughts better. Too tired right now, but I have much to say, soon.
Thank you. I'd been hoping to hear from you about certain aspects of this chapter but knew you'd be super busy so I appreciate you taking the time out!
I know that you were one of the readers who expressed in interest in more regarding Richard and Mary and what the "good" of their relationship looks like. This was an effort to get at that (OCs OMG! WHY WHY WHO CARES - as said below, I'm feeling insecure and defensive again). But there were good times for them and while the relationship was certainly inequitable, it did give both of them things they wanted, for a time.
I am, once again, awed by the insight of others with your comment about how Mary is trying to work things through rather than blast through them. One of the tenets of my Mary characterization from the very beginning is that she wants the word to revolve around her and yet it never does. (The contents of that plaster block that she and Eustace just unearthed are another old, old idea).
The where of Russell House was always more important than Mary herself. In my head canon it was this open, welcoming, beautiful place to which things came -- more train station that hospital. This chapter was a huge, huge departure from what was supposed to have happened, 3 years ago when I outlined it where each person who arrived at Russell House (in 1946 or later) found something transporting and incredibly important. I don't need to do that as much having established already, argumentum ad nauseam and ad infinitum that Narnia and Spare Oom are inter-connected.
Come January with more time, if you are interested, the scholarship on non-reproductive relationships in the non-human animal kingdom is very interesting reading -- even apart from the study itself and the wide spectrum over which it occurs, there's the human reaction to the research, which is a study in and of itself. My best judgment is that the evolutionary biologists and geneticists who are looking at the issue are super-careful in their language so as to avoid getting drawn into the applicability or non-applicability of non-human behavior to human politics. I rambled a bit about this in response to snitchnipped and so won't repeat other than feeling this desire to run away again, lather rinse repeat ad nauseam and ad infinitum.
Mary's struggle to work things through is somewhat personally familiar to me, although I was pursued the "room-dominating personality" approach that she's favored. So it's probably equal parts recognition and projection when I read this development for her.
With the scene of Mary and Richard's relationship, both the imbalance and the strength of the relationship came through, and both aspects made it all more real and more believable.
This view of Richard and Mary's relationship was lovely, perfectly timed for this point in the story, and I think one of your best-written scenes.
Peter and Jill have a fascinating dynamic, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of these two.
Eustace's difficulties ring true with his character. His experience of Aslan during VotDT was dominated by his own redemption. London upon his return was practically yet another new world, his viewpoint had changed so much. But The Silver Chair is to me the darkest of the series short of The Last Battle. Caspian's life had so many unhappy turns, the physical settings were so grim, Rillian's fate hinted at horrible abuse. It almost feels like a challenge from Aslan. "This, too, is part of what it means to be un-dragoned. Are you willing to accept the hard times along with the benefits?" Not a test of faith, but a question. And Eustace questions right back, without losing faith. His belief is strong, but he needs to work through things in an analytical way that neither Peter nor Jill is really suited to. He needs to talk to Edmund and possibly Susan. It's a Concert of Minds approach- Jill leans more towards Peter and Lucy's Heart and Soul.
Mary's feelings of being left out and of wanting to have some of these things happen because of her (and Richard's wonderful, supporting response) were great developments of her character. She seems to be trying to work through things rather than purely blasting her way past whatever doesn't fit.
And the homosexual animals! That will require a reply when I can focus my thoughts better. Too tired right now, but I have much to say, soon.
Reply
I know that you were one of the readers who expressed in interest in more regarding Richard and Mary and what the "good" of their relationship looks like. This was an effort to get at that (OCs OMG! WHY WHY WHO CARES - as said below, I'm feeling insecure and defensive again). But there were good times for them and while the relationship was certainly inequitable, it did give both of them things they wanted, for a time.
I am, once again, awed by the insight of others with your comment about how Mary is trying to work things through rather than blast through them. One of the tenets of my Mary characterization from the very beginning is that she wants the word to revolve around her and yet it never does. (The contents of that plaster block that she and Eustace just unearthed are another old, old idea).
The where of Russell House was always more important than Mary herself. In my head canon it was this open, welcoming, beautiful place to which things came -- more train station that hospital. This chapter was a huge, huge departure from what was supposed to have happened, 3 years ago when I outlined it where each person who arrived at Russell House (in 1946 or later) found something transporting and incredibly important. I don't need to do that as much having established already, argumentum ad nauseam and ad infinitum that Narnia and Spare Oom are inter-connected.
Come January with more time, if you are interested, the scholarship on non-reproductive relationships in the non-human animal kingdom is very interesting reading -- even apart from the study itself and the wide spectrum over which it occurs, there's the human reaction to the research, which is a study in and of itself. My best judgment is that the evolutionary biologists and geneticists who are looking at the issue are super-careful in their language so as to avoid getting drawn into the applicability or non-applicability of non-human behavior to human politics. I rambled a bit about this in response to snitchnipped and so won't repeat other than feeling this desire to run away again, lather rinse repeat ad nauseam and ad infinitum.
Reply
With the scene of Mary and Richard's relationship, both the imbalance and the strength of the relationship came through, and both aspects made it all more real and more believable.
Reply
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